Shelbyville Lady Golden Bears Basketball

Sports Monday, November 20, 2000 Last Updated: Monday, November 20, 2000 at 12:33 PM Bears bust loose, beat Bulldogs By JEFF BROWN Monday, November 20, 2000 at 3:32 PM COLUMBUS — Throughout the course of the season, coaches circle several games on the calendar as having special meaning or importance. Saturday’s girls’ basketball game at Columbus North High School had both special meaning and importance to Shelbyville coach John Fair. In each of his first two seasons, Fair’s Golden Bears were undefeated (4-0 in 1999 and 5-0 in 1998) before playing Columbus North. And in each of those two seasons, after the game, the Golden Bears were no longer undefeated. So in a season with high hopes, an earlier-than-usual contest with the host Bulldogs presented a interesting challenge. This year, Shelbyville proved it was ready. Fueled by a 26-point second quarter, solid free-throw shooting (18 of 27) and a deep bench (10 players scored), the Golden Bears improved to 2-0 with their second 68-55 win of the season. Shelbyville defeated Greensburg on Nov. 11, 68-55, to open this season. With its loss, Columbus North dropped to 2-1. “Our first goal was to beat Greensburg,” said Fair after the game. “But you always want to beat Columbus North, and I’m really happy that we did.” Fair has preached since the opening day of practice that the talented Golden Bears will only be successful with solid play from the center position. That puts plenty of pressure on sophomore Katie Douglas and freshman Haley Wise. “I’ve told our post players that without them we are an average team,” said Fair. “But with them, we are a very good team.” That fact Columbus North realized after Douglas and Wise’s combined 26-point, 10-rebound performance. Wise played a key role off the bench in the crucial second quarter that saw Shelbyville take control of the game. A Gwen Haehl 3-pointer, the first of the freshman’s varsity career, cut the lead back to one, 19-18 just 50 seconds into the second quarter. On Columbus North’s next possession, Wise would grab the rebound and trigger a fast-break that resulted in a Susan Kolls baseline-jumper that gave the Golden Bears their first lead since early in the first quarter. Wise would again grab another missed Bulldogs’ shot on the next possession and, once again, start the Golden Bears’ fast-break that resulted in a Gwen Haehl layup. On Shelbyville’s next possession following a Columbus North timeout, Sarah Laird found Wise open near the basket. The freshman pivoted and scored to increase the Shelbyville lead to 24-19. The Golden Bears would never trail again despite the efforts of Columbus North’s dynamic-scoring backcourt of sophomore Tina Bolte and freshman Katie Kuperus. Combined, the Bulldogs’ guards scored 19 of their team’s 29 first-half points, but Columbus North still trailed 40-29. With Shelbyville’s relentless pressure continuing to wear on her team, Bolte took it upon herself to try to keep them close. Playing the point guard position, Bolte routinely dribbled the ball up-court and charged to the basket, launching shot after shot in an attempt to score. Bolte did score seven of Columbus North’s 11 third-quarter points, but it wouldn’t be enough. She did end with a game-high 23 points but on just 9 of 25 shooting (36 percent). Kuperus finished with 11 points — all of which came in the first half. “Shelbyville played well and made it hard for us to get into our offense,” said Columbus North coach Debbie Marr. “Then when it looked like we couldn’t get into our offense, Tina felt she had to take over because we were getting just one pass and one shot.” Wise would finish the game with a team-high 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting. Douglas scored 12 points before fouling out. Gretchen Haehl and Jenni Ross each added eight points for the Golden Bears. Wise had a team-high seven rebounds. Susan Kolls and Ross each grabbed six rebounds. “Douglas has been struggling in practice and struggled in the first game, so it was nice for her to have a positive experience,” said Fair. “And Wise has been working so hard and she came out ‘busting’ tonight. She is so composed and mature for a freshman.” And with nothing but respect for Bolte and Kuperus, Fair said he felt like the better team won the game this year. “Greensburg had one really good player and Columbus North has two really good players, but I feel like we have 11 really good players,” Fair said. “It’s nice to see our second unit on the floor, and we’re stretching the lead.” Shelbyville returns to action Tuesday when they host Oldenburg Academy at Garrett Gymnasium.

Sophia Sutton exploded for 20 points in the Lady Bears away win over Jennings Co by 39-30 final score. It was reported by Ken Berger that Sophia doesn't have her glasses until next week! What is in store with glasses, maybe 40? Ken also reported that Christy Sammons got the "Windex" glass cleaning award with 12 rebounds.

DEFENSE WAS THE KEY!! The foursome of Ashley Matney,Megan Eiler, Sara Laird and Allison Berger pressured Reidman all over the floor!! Monday, November 13, 2000 Last Updated: Monday, November 13, 2000 at 12:21 PM SHS girls’ deep bench helps get win By JEFF BROWN Monday, November 13, 2000 at 4:20 PM The Shelbyville Golden Bears girls’ basketball team has a preseason state-ranking (Class 3A No. 10), a talented freshman class that will see significant varsity minutes this season and a deep bench with which to wear opponents down. That deep bench was on display in Shelbyville’s season-opening 68-55 win over Greensburg Saturday at Garrett Gymnasium. Eight players scored for the Golden Bears, four reached double-figures while 11 players took turns harassing the Pirates, including 2001 Indiana Miss Basketball Candidate Sara Riedeman, into an up-tempo physical game that eventually wore down the Class 3A, 11th-ranked Pirates. Riedeman, who averaged 24.9 points per game last season, did score her points. But being whistled for her fourth foul four minutes into the third quarter changed the complexion of the game. Without the Pirates’ star guard, who has signed a letter-of-intent to play at Western Kentucky University, the Golden Bears were able to step up the pressure and force several turnovers and poor shots that allowed Shelbyville to take control of the game. Sluggish first quarter play by Shelbyville allowed the Pirates to take a 17-11 lead at the end of the first eight-minute period. But junior Susan Kolls came off the bench to provide the spark that got the Golden Bears rolling. The junior forward scored her first two points at the end of the first quarter on a baseline jump shot. Kolls swished another baseline jumper to open the second quarter and get the Golden Bears within four at 17-13. Those back-to-back points started a 9-0 run for the Golden Bears. “I thought Kolls was great tonight,” said Shelbyville assistant coach Jim Sleeth, who was coaching the varsity in the absence of head coach John Fair who was serving a one-game suspension for being ejected from Shelbyville’s final game last season. “She has been practicing great all month. “She very easily could have started for us tonight but we wanted Ashley Matney (the team’s best defender) to start and guard Riedeman. We thought Kolls would give us that spark off the bench. And she came in and got us going.” Shelbyville outscored Greensburg 14-7 in the second quarter to take a 25-24 lead at halftime. The Golden Bears started the third quarter on a 9-2 run and then Riedeman was called for a charge giving her four fouls and relegating her to the bench for the rest of the quarter. “We knew before the game we had to stop Riedeman,” said Sleeth. “Getting that fourth foul on her was big (for us). I was disappointed in the first half when she got her second foul that we didn’t take it after her. With her out of the lineup, they didn’t have a ball-handler or a go-to person.” Sleeth kept the pressure defense on the Pirates, a press made more deadly when 11 players can rotate into the lineup keeping fresh players on the floor at all times. In the first seven minutes of the third quarter, Greensburg scored just four points while Kolls drained a 3-pointer to push the Golden Bears lead to 44-28. Riedeman returned to the floor to open the final quarter and drained a 12-foot jump shot in the lane to cut the lead back to 10. With the basket, Riedeman became Greensburg’s all-time leading scorer with 1,193 points. She would add 8 more points onto that record on the way to a game-high 22 points but the Pirates were forced to start fouling to keep Shelbyville close. That strategy didn’t pay off. The Golden Bears calmly sank 15-of-22 fourth-quarter free throws, including six from Kolls who finished with 14 points in the game and also grabbed five rebounds. Senior Sarah Laird was 4-of-4 from the free-throw line in the final quarter and finished the game with a team-high 16 points. Senior Jenni Ross scored 11 points while freshman Gretchen Haehl scored 10 points, recorded four assists and had five steals in her first varsity game. Sleeth was impressed with the freshman’s performance at the point guard position. “I thought Gretchen handled the ball well,” said Sleeth. “She had a couple of careless turnovers but she will learn from that. “She is going to be handling the ball for us 90 percent of the time and she has to adjust to varsity players, who are good defenders, guarding her.” Shelbyville next travels to Columbus Saturday to face Columbus North.

Christy Sammons hit a game winning 3-pointer from the top of the key with 5 seconds left to give Shelbyville a win in a game that saw many lead changes 29-27. Christy called "bank" when the ball left her hands and it counted all the way. The Shelbyville Freshman team carries 14 girls on the roster to show that girls basketball is very much alive in Shelbyville. That same class has 5 players playing at the reserve and varsity level. The Freshman team is coached by Ken Berger and Brian Gaffney. The roster includes: Lindsay Hunt Brooke Beckner Ashley Collins Kaitlyn Clark Alisha Howard Sophia Sutton Mary Fix Megan Fix Stacy Hempfleng Hannah Myers Tina Bryan Mindy Morrow Rachel Long Christy Sammons

Preseason poll Coaches Association girls basketball top 10 Class 4A -- 1. Ben Davis, 2. Center Grove, 3. Valparaiso, 4. Terre Haute South, 5. Fort Wayne Snider, 6. Decatur Central, 7. Gary West, 8. Kokomo, 9. Highland, 10. Martinsville Class 3A -- 1. Cathedral, 2. Evansville Memorial, 3. Alexandria, 4. Plymouth, 5. Wawasee, 6. Frankfort, 7. NorthWood, 8. Franklin County, 9. Mt. Vernon, 10. Shelbyville